Star Weather Astrology Report 1/21–1/29
All times Pacific.
I finished writing this about five hours before Pluto enters Aquarius. As we experience the new environment Pluto in Aquarius suggests, the Aquarius side of the equation gets a big boost from Uranus stationary direct on Friday. With Jupiter conjunct Uranus in Spring these promise to be exciting times. The stagnation since 2008 will be shifting into a time of alternating crisis and shocking solutions: an eager reinvention of the world by new genius and new generations. Action will be taken on many issues that science has proven but business and politics have resisted.
Keep in mind that Pluto will return to Capricorn 9/1 to 11/19, just in time for the presidential election, so we’re not entirely done with it, but except for those eleven weeks we’ll have Pluto in Aquarius for the next twenty years. It’s interesting that Uranus will be stationary retrograde 9/1, the same day of Pluto’s reentry into Capricorn. This could indicate a boost for conservatives, however with Pluto in Aquarius history suggests that a conservative win will galvanize the progressive cause. But Pluto in Aquarius progressive politics may be quite different from Pluto in Capricorn progressive politics. New generations will bring new approaches.
Saturday Jan 20 sun conjunct Pluto is with us through Friday. This aspect will really give us a taste of Pluto in Aquarius as the sun ruling our daily lives and sense of self reflects the new Pluto placement. In general this aspect can indicate an intense time. On the negative side themes include breakdowns that require repair or reform, especially involving situations of neglect, and where we have ignored signs of impending trouble. Subconscious motivations can be strong especially in the areas of suspicion, struggles for power, obsession with sexuality, or with morbid thoughts. Envy and feelings of disenfranchisement can easily lead to arguments and even violence. On the other hand we have opportunities for healing, catharsis, rebirth, and regeneration. On the other side of the crisis Pluto brings tranquility.
Sun Jan 21 only lunar aspects are exact. Mary Wollstonecraft who wrote Vindication of the Rights of Women during Pluto in Aquarius left us this very Pluto in Aquarius quote regarding female empowerment: “I do not wish women to have power over men; but over themselves.”
Mon Jan 22 only lunar aspects are exact. With such a big change in the air, and two big aspects ahead in 2025, Spring’s exciting Jupiter conjunct Uranus, supportive of the new Pluto in Aquarius world we’ll be encountering, and a less supportive but perhaps helpful Jupiter square Saturn in summer. This square defines the split in our cities, states, countries and selves. The endless optimism of humanity vs. the difficult facts gathered by traditional pessimists. We can expect that change will be moving so fast that furious reactions against it may arise. With Uranus it could happen more quickly than we imagine. Saturn is the stifling darkness of space without time or life. Uranus is the hypnotic splendor of stars filling the sky reaching beyond our senses, instruments and reason, to the infinite. Sojourner Truth wrote: “Life is a hard battle anyway. If we laugh and sing a little as we fight the good fight of freedom, it makes it all go easier. I will not allow my life’s light to be determined by the darkness around me.”
Tue Jan 23 Venus enters Capricorn at 12:50 AM. The Saturnine influence on Venus can seem chilly and forbidding, especially after friendly and jovial Venus in Sagittarius, however this placement can help us deepen our relationships and our creativity. Be willing to learn. Consult mentors. Give people space. Show loyalty. Edit communications and creative work. If feeling lonely or alienated, even within relationships, meditate or ponder on the sources of these feelings. They could have to do with parental issues, thwarted ambition, or the habit of pessimism. Process these obstacles through learning and creativity, and liberate yourself from the past. Also a good placement for getting your living space in order, sorting out what no longer belongs there. As Pessoa wrote: “Wise is he who enjoys the show offered by the world.”
Wed Jan 24 only lunar aspects are exact. Moon opposition Pluto just before midnight could make the evening a time for encountering our own emotional reactions to the new Pluto in Aquarius placement. We can observe what troubles us and what issues are brought to the surface. Pluto in Capricorn may have been dismal but we were accustomed to it. Human nervous systems are wired to prefer consistent misery to change even when the change means improvement. Take time to sort through your feelings.
Thu Jan 25 Mars square Chiron is exact in the morning. Chiron squares can indicate crisis in the areas of individual and public health. With Mars involved we may hear disturbing news from the battlefields. Individually, Mars square Chiron can indicate times when frustrations related to ambition, sexuality and anger can cause illness. Pay close attention to the messages your body sends you. Treat your body like a friend instead of ignoring the need to make adjustments. Take care not to overdo exercise or other physical activities that could result in injury. The full moon in Leo arrives at 9:54 AM, in T square with Jupiter and Pluto. This T square provides another opportunity for us to take stock of our emotional reactions to the new Pluto in Aquarius placement. T squares can be volatile, indicating anger and power struggles, but they can also be creative and transformative. Pay attention to what you are feeling about your finances, your opportunities, and your definition of success.
Fri Jan 26 Mercury square Chiron is exact in the early morning, amplifying yesterday’s Mars square Chiron indicating clear messages about health. Our bodies often communicate through small discomforts and reactions. Rather than taking remedies to silence symptoms we can pay attention and make small adjustments to diet, routine, emotional states, and bad habits. A good time to have conversations or to do research about how to improve our well-being. Don’t let malaise or pain lead to miscommunications that cause unnecessary conflict or hurt. Sun square Jupiter is exact in the hour before midnight, an aspect that indicates a tendency for excess, especially with Uranus stationary today. The temptation to over-do may be strong but moderation may us get better results. Have fun, but not at the expense of the health of your body or bank account.
Uranus is stationary direct at 11:35 PM. Uranus stations can indicate erratic actions, shocking surprises, liberating realizations and opportunities. For Aquarians in particular, but for all of us to some degree, there can be the sense of life resuming after a period of back-tracking that began when Uranus went retrograde August 29. With Mars approaching its exact trine to Uranus, this station may be especially energetic. It may be time to update tech, or try something new. For those who feel repressed and who lack any sense of freedom in the current organization of their lives this can be an accident prone time, so take extra care when commuting. Feelings of rebelliousness, and impatience with rules are common. Opportunities for innovation and new perspectives can liberate stagnant areas of our lives.
Sat Jan 27 Mercury conjunct Mars is exact in the early morning, followed by Mercury sextile Saturn in the late evening. With Mercury conjunct Mars, both planets trine Uranus, communications can take on extra force and shocking things might be said. But since these are trines the impact may be positive after all. A good time to put some energy and thought into how new tech, new perspectives, and new horizons could liberate creativity. Exciting conversations or videos can help us get a fresh start. Mercury sextile Saturn indicates that patience and organizational efforts can help us get the most out of this Uranus station. Ponder what needs to be thrown away and other endings that could make space for new adventures. These aspects indicate a time when astrology can provide especially powerful insights. Take a look at your birth chart and personal transits, with the help of an astrologer, or on your own. Also a good time to learn more about astrology and other inexplicable sources of truth that surprise us with their accuracy, such as the Yi Jing.
Sun Jan 28 Mercury trine Uranus is exact in the early afternoon, then Venus trine Jupiter is exact in the late afternoon. This pair of beautiful aspects could make the end of last week and the beginning of next a time to remember. Mercury trine Uranus indicates the opportunity for enlightening conversations, encounters with liberating information, new people who bring different opportunities and perspectives to our lives. If you’re looking for answers this is a good time to search for them. Writers and other creative people can find exciting breakthroughs in projects. Venus trine Jupiter is often considered the most positive aspect but there is the risk of over-indulgence and over-optimism especially in the areas of romance and finances, so be sure to take off those rose-colored glasses before making important commitments. On the other hand opportunities for romance and success may open up new sources of joy and inspiration. Take time to say nice things to people you care about. Express appreciation to those who inspire you. Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote: “The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.”
Mon Jan 29 Mars trine Uranus is exact mid-afternoon. This dynamic aspect can energize us but it can also indicate erratic behavior by those who let loose without regard for self or others. While it could indicate a shocking event related to the wars currently being fought, it might also bring hope of a change for the better as a new perspective prevails. In our own lives this is a good time to put some serious energy into renewing our environments. Out with the old in with the new could be the slogan for this aspect. We can also look to refreshing and regenerating Mars issues, such as our ambitions, sexuality, and our right to boundaries and safety from abusive people. Applying Mars thoughtfully can help us break free from the doldrums of Pluto in Capricorn. As Marcel Proust wrote: “The real voyage of discovery consists in not seeking new lands, but seeing with new eyes.”
Saturday 1/20 10:15 AM the recording of my most popular lecture at the Philosophical Research Society in the 1980s is available here on YouTube:
There will be more lectures from PRS in the 80s, including some I gave as Manly Hall’s substitute lecturers on subjects he chose, such as Marriage in the New World Order. Subscribe for those, and for updated playlists of podcast interviews, current lectures, and rare musical recordings from the time just after Tamra Lucid and I left PRS, with our early bands Cat Cult and Din.
